


Like a Greek Heroine

by pylades



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 19:16:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4111995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pylades/pseuds/pylades
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She’d referred to him once David taking on Goliath, but Jack sometimes saw his wife as the heroine of the Greek stories. To him, Katherine was more like Athena, the warrior who used her brain and cunning as weapons in battle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Greek Heroine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [writetheniteaway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writetheniteaway/gifts).



1909

Jack is two days past his deadline. He should probably be grateful that the paper puts enough stock in his work that they are letting him slide, but he is embarrassed and frustrated with himself. He’s got a good life. An apartment of his own (not sleepin’ on the roof of a lodging house to avoid a room full of other men), a spitfire of a wife, and a baby. He doesn’t have to hock papers on street corners in all kinds of weather, but instead sits at his table and draws. Maybe that’s why he’s so frustrated with himself for being late with his work.

But Katherine’s been busy this week with plans for today’s garment factory strike. She worked hard to secure her place in the Women’s Trade Union League because she believed in their cause, but also because she wanted the women to view her as something other than the daughter of New York’s wealthiest man or a newspaperwoman. She’d spent long days in meetings, on the street raising funds for the striking women, and then late at night writing about the activities. He’s found her in their bed, fully dressed, on a few occasions. (Jack’s learned a lot about undressing a woman, but their shoes? Those buttons on tight leather boots had to have been created by a madman.)

Katherine’s preoccupied and busy so Jack’s been less than focused on his work. They’re a partnership after all, him and Ace. He’ll make sure his distracted wife is fed and clothed, just as she did when he and David were busy the previous month with their own union work. In the beginning, he’d convinced himself that he’d have time to draw while Davey slept.

But little Davey’s been having a rough go of it – teething, Katherine says – and Jack can’t concentrate on his drawings when his little fellow is crying. He’s spent most of the day bouncing Davey around the apartment, distracting him with pictures, with his few toys and, when that doesn’t work, with the sound of Katherine’s typewriter keys. Davey was mystified by the clacking sound that they made and, after banging his small fists on the machine, managed to do … somethin’. They’d jammed up. Jack would figure it out later.

He finally falls asleep around four and Jack has just eased him into the crib when he hears the door open and shut. Jack hurries out of their bedroom to urge Katherine to be quiet when he sees his wife’s face.

“Jesus! Ace –“

“Where’s Davey?” her speech is muffled, as if her mouth is full of cotton, and Jack is still so surprised that he can’t reply. “Jack?”

“Sleeping, but don’t worry ‘bout him. What happened?” He helps her awkwardly strip off her coat, tossing it aside and leading Katherine into one of the kitchen chairs.

Her hair is disheveled and when he kneels beside her to stroke it away from her cheek, Jack hisses at the ugly bruise. Her left cheek is swollen and purple with a cut that had started to crust over from blood loss.

“Looks worse than it is,” Katherine promised when he rose to find a flannel cloth and water to clean it. “They had hired thugs trying to agitate the women. Someone threw a rock and caught me in the cheek. And when I went down, I bit my tongue. I’ll be fine.”

He carefully cleans the cut, wincing sympathetically when she whimpers low in her throat. Knowing his wife, she probably took that rock to the face like a champ prize fighter. She wouldn’t show her discomfort to strangers or fellow picketers. Katherine Plumber (Kelly) was grit and steel in a shirtwaist an’ dress as far as the public was concerned. It was only in front of him that she was grit and steel and soft and human.

She’d referred to him once David taking on Goliath, but Jack sometimes saw his wife as the heroine of the Greek stories. To him, Katherine was more like Athena, the warrior who used her brain and cunning as weapons in battle.

She’s clearly exhausted, but Jack’s heartened to see the fire in her eyes when Katherine speaks next. “They wanted us to fight back, Jack, but those women ignored them and kept marching. I was so proud.”

“I’m proud of you, Ace.” He finishes cleaning the cut and bruise before tossing the flannel aside. “They’re gonna regret that rock, aren’t they?”

She smiles awkwardly and he instantly regrets teasing her because he knows, from experience, that it has to hurt.

“Just wait ‘til I get to my typewriter.” Katherine promises.

“About that –“


End file.
